Barrette



Nov. 19, 1957 FAY 2,813,533

BARRETTE I Filed March 26, 1956 INVENTOR.

Unite States Patent BARRETTE Fred A. Fay, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 26, 1956, Serial No. 573,739

4 Claims. (Cl. 132-48) This invention relates to improvements in barrettes or hair clasps.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved barrette consisting of an arcuate back and a latch hingedly connected to each other adjacent one end of the back and at one end of the latch. At the other end of the back and at the swinging end of the latch a novel and highly advantageous means is provided for releasably locking the swinging end of the latch to the back so that hair confined between the latch and the back will be firmly retained therein. Furthermore, the releasable connection is so designed that in closing the barrette there is little danger of hair being caught therein and the construction is such that the barrette presents a smooth and attractive appearance. While it is possible to release or disengage the swinging end of the latch from the back of the barrette to unlock or open the barrette, this cannot ordinarily be accomplished unless the back is forcibly flexed. Consequently, once that the barrette is closed it remains closed until intentionally and forcibly opened.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed descrip tion and specification pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one form of barrette embodying the invention illustrating it in applied position on a pony tail.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the barrette shown in Fig. 1, parts being broken away and shown in horizontal section, the latch being shown in closed position in full lines and in open position in phantom lines.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the barrette shown in Fig. 2, parts being broken away and shown in vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the manner in which the back is forcibly flexed to release and open the latch.

Fig. 5 is a top plan of an alternative form of construction.

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of still another form of construction.

Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved barrette consists generally of an arcuate back 10 and of a latch 11 which is preferably but not necessarily arcuate in form. Adjacent one end of the back 10 there are two aperture/d ears or knuckles 12 and 13 adjacent the top and bottom of the back and which have their top and bottom surfaces flush with the top and bottom edges of the back. At the corresponding end of the latch 11 there is a split or bifurcation 14, the inner end of which terminates in a circular configuration as indicated at 15 to resist splitting of the latch On the top and bottom of the latch there are "ice formed integrally therewith upper and lower pintles 16 and 17.

The back and latch are preferably formed of a stifi but nevertheless resilient material such as, for example, a synthetic resin plastic so that the back and latch will normally retain their shaped conditions. However, as will hereinafter be explained, these parts can be forcibly flexed or bent. In assembling the latch and the back the sides of that end of the latch 11 which are above and below the split or bifurcation 14 are compressed toward each other so that the pintles 16 and 17 will be collapsed toward each other sufliciently to enter between the ears or knuckles 12 and 13. When the pintles are in registration with the apertures in the areas the top and bottom of the latch are released and the pintles 16 and 17 expand into their respective ears, thus hingedly connecting the latch to the back. This hinged connection may be regarded as a permanent connection until such time as the top and bottom of the latch above and below the split 14 are compressed toward each other to cause the pintles to be withdrawn from their respective ears or knuckles.

The improvement primarily relates to the opposite end of the latch and back and to the configurations employed to detachably connect the swinging end of the latch to that end of the back which is remote from the hinge. In the mentioned end of the back there is formed a recess indicated at 18 which has its top and bottom terminating short of the top and bottom of the back. The swinging end of the latch is equipped with a corresponding protuberance 19 which is shaped to enter the recess and substantially fit it. The top and bottom of the protuberance 19 terminate inwardly of the top and bottom of the latch. In effect therefore the recess 18 is equipped not only with side walls but with top and bottom walls 20 and 21 which fit over and below respectively the top and bottom of the protuberance 19. These topand bottom walls 20 and 21 are also shaped to fit the shoulders 22 at the top and bottom of the protuberance. Consequently when the latch is in closed or locked position the top surfaces of the socket containing the recess 18 are flush with the top and bottom surfaces of the latch.

The side walls of the recess 18 converge outwardly and are arranged on opposite sides of an imaginary center line which center line is approximately radial from the center of curvature of the back 10. The side surfaces of the protuberance 19 are likewise arranged on opposite sides of an imaginary center line which is arranged approximately radial from the center of curvature of the back. This arrangement causes a firm interlock to be formed between the swinging end of the latch and that end of the back which is remote from the hinge. This interlock will persist regardless of the quantity of hair that may be confined between the latch 11 and the back 10. It is possible however to disengage the latch from the back which is accomplished by forcibly flexing the back 10 from the position or condition shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 4. When the back is flexed or straightened, it has the effect of moving the socket or recess 18 outwardly a sufficient distance so that the protuberance 19 will clear the forward edge of the recess as illustrated in Fig. 4. In this position the latch 11 can be swung into open position after which the back can be released and will automatically return to the condition shown in Fig. 2. In closing the barrette the top and bottom of the protuberance 19 enter between the top 2.0 and the bottom 21 at the top and bottom of the recess to some extent as soon as the latch is pressed toward the back from the phantom line position shown in Fig. 2 to- Ward the full line position. Consequently, the top and bottom 20 and 21 serve somewhat as guides for the top and bottom of the protuberance while the protuberance cams its way from the open line position into the closed position. During this camming action the back 10 may be flexed to some extent and some slight flexure may occur in the latch itself. The arrangement is such that there is little danger or likelihood of hair becoming clamped between the protuberance 19 and the walls of the recess 18.

The construction shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 is substantially the same as that previously described, the differences being principally in the degree of curvature of the back and the latch. In other respects the constructions illustrated in these figures are the same and the advantages and the operation are substantially the same. These barrettes are so shaped that they may be used to advantage on side sweeps and top sweeps of the hair.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A barrette comprising an arcuate back formed of stifi material which can be flexed, a latch hingedly connected thereto adjacent one end, the other end of the back having a socket formed therein terminating at its top and bottom inwardly of the top and bottom of the back, the swinging end of the latch having a protuberance thereon adapted to enter the socket to lock the latch in closed position, and the top and bottom of the protuberance terminating inwardly of the top and bottom of the latch.

2. A barrette comprising an arcuate back formed of stifi material which can be flexed, a latch hingedly connected thereto adjacent one end, the other end of the back having a socket formed therein terminating at its top and bottom inwardly of the top and bottom of the back, the swinging end of the latch having a protuberance thereon adapted to enter the socket to lock the latch in closed position, the top and bottom of the protuberance terminating inwardly of the top and bottom of the latch, and the top and bottom of the latch and back being flush with each other when the barrette is closed adjacent the socket and protuberance.

3. A barrette comprising an arcuate back formed of stiff material which can be flexed, a latch hingedly con nected thereto adjacent one end, the other end of the back having a socket formed therein terminating at its top and bottom inwardly of the top and bottom of the back, the swinging end of the latch having a protuberance thereon adapted to enter the socket to lock the latch in closed position, the top and bottom of the protuberance terminating inwardly of the top and bottom of the latch,

10 the top and bottom of the latch and back being flush with each other when the barrette is closed adjacent the socket and protuberance, and the center lines of the socket and protuberance being arranged approximately radial with respect to the center of curvature of the back.

4. A barrette comprising an arcuate back formed of stiff material which can be flexed, a latch hingedly connected thereto adjacent one end, the other end of the back having a socket formed therein terminating at its top and bottom inwardly of the top and bottom of the 2 back, the swinging end of the latch having a protuberance thereon adapted to enter the socket to lock the latch in closed position, the top and bottom of the protuberance terminating inwardly of the top and bottom of the latch, the top and bottom of the latch and back being flush with each other when the barrette is closed adjacent the socket and protuberance, and the center lines of the socket and protuberance being arranged approximately radial with respect to the center of curvature of the back and the sides of the protuberance and socket converging outwardly from said center of curvature.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 956,793 Burke May 3, 1910 2,403,601 Jackson July 9, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 622,424 France May 30, 1927 862,047 Germany Ian. 8, 1953 

